JP2008071196A - Print system, printer, user terminal, program and recording medium recording the program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a print system, capable of performing printing even by a user other than a user who pools print jobs without deterioration of security, a printer, a user terminal, a program and a recording medium recording the program therefor. <P>SOLUTION: The print system adapted so that the printer 3 prints print jobs transmitted from the user terminal 4 through a network according to a user's print request comprises an authority table attachment means for attaching, to each print job, a user execution authority table recording user information of a user who is permitted to print the print job; a print job storage means for storing print jobs transmitted from the user terminal; a print job retrieval means for retrieving, based on the user information of the user, a print job for which the user has the print authority in reference to the user execution authority table attached to the print jobs; and a display means displaying the print job retrieved by the print job retrieval means. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention records a printing system, a printing apparatus, a user terminal, a program, and a program for transmitting a print job from a user terminal connected via a network to the printing apparatus, and printing the print job by an authenticated user The present invention relates to a recording medium.

  In offices and the like, printers are shared and used, so each user can input a print execution instruction from a user terminal by connecting the printer to a network. When a print execution instruction is input, the user terminal transmits a print job to the printing apparatus, and the printing apparatus once spools the print job to a hard disk device or the like and sequentially executes printing. When the user terminal is used, the user logs in to the network and is authenticated at the time of login, so printing can be executed with security ensured.

  In order to further improve security, a printing system that manages use eligibility of a user by a printer management server has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In the printing system described in Patent Document 1, the user terminal transmits user information and authentication information to the printer management server, and the printer management server determines whether or not the user is eligible based on the user authentication information. If there is, an authentication notification is transmitted to the printing apparatus.

On the other hand, when security is strictly applied, the user's usability is reduced, and therefore, a printing apparatus that does not require authentication in a predetermined case for a user who has been authenticated has been proposed (for example, see Patent Document 2). .) The printing apparatus described in Patent Document 2 can print when an IC card or the like is inserted. When spooling print data, IC card information is added to the print data and stored. When the user uses the printing apparatus again, the user can print the spooled document without the IC card by operating and inputting the authentication information.
JP 2005-14951 A JP 2006-76034 A

  However, in the printing system described in Patent Document 1 and the printing apparatus described in Patent Document 2, only the user who spools the print job or the user who owns the IC card can print the print job spooled.

  By the way, when a print job with a large number of pages or when printing a large number of copies, it may take time to print, and there is a request that the user who spooled the print job requests another user to execute printing. Also, when you want to print a spooled document and give it to another user, it is more convenient to request the other user to execute printing.

  Therefore, if a user other than the user who spooled the print job can also execute printing, the convenience of the printing apparatus is greatly improved. However, if other users can easily print the spooled print job, the security is lowered. There is a risk.

  In view of the above problems, the present invention provides a printing system, a printing apparatus, a user terminal, a program, and a recording medium on which a program is recorded that can be printed by a user other than the user who spooled the print job without reducing security. The purpose is to provide.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, the present invention provides a printing system in which a printing apparatus prints a print job transmitted from a user terminal via a network in response to a user's print request. Print job storage means for storing a print job transmitted from a user terminal in a storage device, having an authority table attachment means for attaching a user execution authority table recording user information of authorized users to a print job And a print job search means for searching for a print job for which the user has print authority, with reference to the user execution authority table attached to the print job based on the user information of the user, and the print job searched by the print job search means Display means for displaying on the display unit.

  According to the present invention, the print execution person who can execute the print job spooled in the printing apparatus is specified in the user execution authority table by the spooled user, so that the print job can be performed by a user other than the user who spooled the print job. Can be executed, and convenience is improved. In addition, since only a user who is given execution authority by the user execution authority table can execute printing, security can be ensured.

  In one embodiment of the present invention, the authority table attachment means displays a user who can use the printing apparatus in a selectable manner on the display unit of the user terminal.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to generate a user execution authority table simply by selecting a user who is given a print authority from a list of users who can use the printing apparatus.

  In one embodiment of the present invention, an authentication device for authenticating a user is connected to the network. The authentication device authenticates the user based on user authentication information input from a printing device, and prints the authentication result. It transmits to an apparatus.

  According to the present invention, since the user of the printing apparatus 3 is authenticated by the authentication apparatus, security can be further improved.

  It is possible to provide a printing system, a printing apparatus, a user terminal, a program, and a recording medium on which the program is recorded, which can be printed by a user other than the user who spooled the print job without reducing security.

  Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a printing system 1. The user terminal 4, the authentication device 2, and the printing device 3 are connected via a network such as an office. These apparatuses have unique addresses such as an IP address and a MAC (Media Access Control address) address based on a predetermined protocol such as TCP / IP, and can communicate with each other.

  The user terminal 4 is a personal computer, for example, and the authentication device 2 is a personal computer, a workstation, or the like, and these implement various functions described later by executing programs. Note that three or more user terminals 4 may be connected.

  For example, when a print job is transmitted from the user terminal 4 a to the printing apparatus 2, the user terminal 4 a attaches a user execution authority table that records the users who are authorized (permitted) to execute the print job. The user execution authority table is spooled to the printing apparatus 3 together with the print job. When the print executor operates the printing apparatus 3 to execute printing of the print job, the authentication apparatus 2 authenticates the print executor and the printing apparatus. 3 determines whether the print executor has authority by referring to the user execution authority table. Therefore, the user recorded in the user execution authority table can execute the spooled print job while maintaining security.

  FIG. 2 shows a hardware configuration diagram of the user terminal 4. The user terminal 4 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 41, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 43 and a ROM (Read Only Memory) 42, and a PCI (Peripheral Components Interconnect bus) bus, which are mutually connected by an internal bus 44. The input device 46, the storage device 47, the display device 48, and the communication device 49 are connected via the expansion bus 45.

  The CPU 41 provides various functions by loading and executing programs such as the OS and applications from the storage device 47 and comprehensively controls processing performed by the user terminal 4. The RAM 43 is a working memory for temporarily storing the OS, programs, and data. The ROM 42 stores startup parameters and a control program for the CPU 41.

  The input device 46 includes a keyboard and a mouse, and is used to input various operation instructions from the user. The storage device 47 is a nonvolatile memory such as an HDD (hard disk drive) or a flash memory, and stores files such as an OS, a program, and a driver. The display device 48 draws on a display such as a liquid crystal display with a predetermined resolution and the number of colors based on screen information instructed by the program. For example, a GUI (Graphical User Interface) screen is formed, and operation buttons and data necessary for operation are displayed on the display. The communication device 49 is an interface for connecting to a network such as the Internet or a LAN, and includes, for example, a modem, a network interface card (NIC), or the like. The drive device 50 loads various types of removable media and reads / writes data, reproduces data recorded on the recording medium 40 and sends it to the storage device 47 and the like.

  The recording medium 40 stores a program that realizes an authority table attachment unit 4a that attaches a user execution authority table to a print job when the CPU 41 executes it. Such a program is installed in the storage device 47.

  The hardware configuration diagram of the authentication device 2 is the same as that shown in FIG. The authentication device 2 is an authentication server for authenticating a user, and stores authentication information (password, biometric authentication information, authentication number) in advance in association with information for identifying each user such as a user name.

  FIG. 3 is a hardware configuration diagram of the printing apparatus 3. FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a so-called multi-function machine having functions such as facsimile and copying as well as a printer.

  In the printing apparatus 3, the controller 10 and an engine unit (Engine) 33 are connected by a PCI bus. The controller 10 is a controller that controls the entire printing apparatus 2 and controls drawing, communication, input from the operation unit 29, display on the display unit 35 such as a touch panel, or input from the display unit 35.

  The engine unit 33 is a printer engine that can be connected to a PCI bus, and is, for example, a monochrome plotter, a one-drum color plotter, a four-drum color plotter, a scanner, or a fax unit. The engine unit 33 includes an image processing unit such as error diffusion and gamma conversion in addition to a so-called engine unit such as a plotter.

  The controller 10 includes a CPU 21, a north bridge (NB) 23, a system memory (MEM-P) 22, a south bridge (SB) 24, a local memory (MEM-C) 27, and an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). 26 and a hard disk drive (HDD) 28, and the NB 23 and the ASIC 26 are connected by an AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) bus 25. The MEM-P 22 further includes a ROM 22a and a RAM 22b.

The CPU 21 performs overall control of the printing apparatus 2 and has a chip set including the NB 23, the MEM-P 22 and the SB 24, and is connected to other devices via the chip set. The NB 23 is a bridge for connecting the CPU 21 to the MEM-P 22, SB 24, and AGP 25, and includes a memory controller that controls reading and writing to the MEM-P 22, a PCI master, and an AGP target.
The MEM-P 22 is a system memory used as a memory for storing programs and data, a memory for developing programs and data, a drawing memory for printers, and the like, and includes a ROM 22a and a RAM 22b. The ROM 22a is a read-only memory used as a memory for storing programs and data, and the RAM 22b is a writable and readable memory used as a program / data development memory, a printer drawing memory, and the like. The SB 24 is a bridge for connecting the NB 23 to a PCI device and peripheral devices. The SB 24 is connected to the NB 23 via a PCI bus.

  The ASIC 26 is an IC (Integrated Circuit) for image processing use having hardware elements for image processing, and has a role of a bridge for connecting the AGP bus 25, the PCI bus, the HDD 28, and the MEM-C 27, respectively.

  The ASIC 26 includes a PCI target and an AGP master, an arbiter (arbiter) that forms the core of the ASIC 26, a memory controller that controls the MEM-C 27, and a plurality of DMACs (Direct Memory) that perform image data rotation and the like using hardware logic. Access Controller) and a PCI unit that performs data transfer between the engine unit 33 via the PCI bus. The ASIC 26 is connected to a FCU (Fax Control Unit) 30, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) 31, an IEEE 1394 (the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers 1394) interface 32, and a NIC 34 that communicates via a network via a PCI bus. Is done.

  The MEM-C 27 is a local memory used as a copy image buffer and a code buffer, and the HDD 28 is a storage device for spooling image data and storing programs, font data and forms.

  When the CPU 21 executes the program, the print job storage unit 3a that stores the print job transmitted from the user terminal 4 in the HDD 28, and the user who operates the printing apparatus 3 with reference to the user execution authority table attached to the print job Print job search means 3b for searching for a print job having the authority to print, and display means 3c for displaying the print job searched by the print job search means 3b on the display unit 35. These programs are recorded in the recording medium 20 such as a USB memory, and are installed in the HDD 28 from the recording medium 20.

  FIG. 4 shows a sequence diagram in the printing process of the printing system 1 of the present embodiment.

  First, a user who spools a print job (hereinafter referred to as a print job sender) operates the user terminal 4a to input a print job spool instruction (S1). For example, the print job sender executes an application program such as word processing software on the user terminal 4, and when the print job sender prints a desired document or the like, it becomes a print job spool instruction. The print job sender has already entered user information for identifying the print job sender (hereinafter simply referred to as a user name) and authentication information such as a name and an ID when logging in to the user terminal 4.

  When the print job sender inputs a print job spool instruction, the user terminal 4 transmits the print job to the printing apparatus 3 (S2). When transmitting a print job to the printing apparatus 3, the authority table attachment unit 4a prints the print job sender's user name, authentication information, and spool print job that has instructed the print job to be spooled. A table of users (user execution authority table) is attached.

  FIG. 5A shows the configuration of the print job and attached data, and FIG. 5B shows the configuration of the user execution authority table. The print job data includes a print job data body, a user name, authentication information, and a user execution authority table. The print job data body is composed of print data such as documents and images and setting data at the time of printing (for example, the number of copies, double-sided printing, etc.).

  As shown in FIG. 5B, the user execution authority table is a table in which authority is recorded in association with the user name of each user. “Permitted” recorded in the authority column indicates that the user is authorized to execute printing, and “Not permitted” indicates that the user is not authorized to execute printing. Note that only the user names that are authorized to print may be recorded. In this case, the user whose user name is recorded in the user execution authority table is the person who has the authority to execute printing.

  In the user execution authority table of FIG. 5B, the authority is recorded for each individual user, but the authority may be recorded for each group as shown in FIG. 5C. In this case, if the printing apparatus 3 stores user names belonging to each group in advance, it can be determined for each user whether or not the authority to execute the spooled print job is given. In addition, a print executor (a person who requests printing of a spooled print job) may input a group name. Since confidential documents and the like are often shared in units of groups, if the authority can be recorded for each group, it is possible to prevent the troublesomeness of the print job sender from inputting a plurality of user names constituting the group.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 5D, detailed authority regarding printing may be recorded in the user execution authority table. In FIG. 5D, black-and-white printing, color printing, and printing authority for only the first page are recorded in association with the user name.

  Returning to FIG. 4, when the printing apparatus 3 receives a print job from the user terminal 4, the printing apparatus 3 extracts the user name and authentication information from the print job, transmits the user name and authentication information to the authentication apparatus 2, and print job. A request for user authentication of the sender is made (S3).

  The authentication device 2 authenticates the print job sender based on the consistency between the user name and the authentication information, and transmits the authentication result to the printing device 3 (S4). If there is a consistency between the user name and the authentication information, the authentication device 2 indicates an authentication result of authentication success if the print job sender is a valid user, and an authentication failure authentication result if the user name is not consistent. Send to.

  If the authentication is successful, the print job storage unit 3a spools the print job to the HDD 28, and if the authentication fails, the print job storage unit 3a discards the print job (S5).

  Next, the print performer tries to print the spooled print job by operating the printing apparatus 3. First, the print performer operates the operation unit 29 of the printing apparatus 3 to input a use request for the printing apparatus 3 (S6). In order to input a use request, the print executor inputs his / her user name and authentication information to the printing apparatus 2.

  The printing apparatus 3 transmits the user name and authentication information of the print performer to the authentication apparatus 2 and requests user authentication (S7). The authentication device 2 authenticates the print executor based on the consistency between the user name and the authentication information, and transmits the authentication result to the printing device 3 (S8).

  If the authentication fails, the printing apparatus 3 does not permit use by the print performer. Therefore, the security of the spooled print job can be maintained.

  When the authentication is successful, the print job search unit 3b searches the user execution authority table of the print job spooled using the user name of the print performer as a key to search for the print job to which the print performer is authorized (S9). That is, since a plurality of print jobs of a plurality of users are spooled in the HDD 28, the print job recorded as “permitted” in the user name of the print performer is searched from the user execution authority table of each print job.

  Then, the display unit 3c displays all the print jobs for which the print performer has print authority on the display unit 35 (S10). Here, the displayed print job is, for example, the user name of the print job sender, spool date and time, print job name (document name), file name, and the like.

  The print executor selects a print job to be printed from the print jobs displayed on the display unit 35, and performs a print execution operation (S11). The printing apparatus 3 prints the selected print job (S12).

  As described above, in the printing system 1 according to the present embodiment, since the user is authenticated before printing, security can be ensured, and printing is permitted by the user execution authority table input by the print job sender. Since printing is possible, there is no need to receive a document file or printed matter from the print job sender, and the convenience of the printing system 1 is improved.

  In this embodiment, a printing system 1 is described in which an authentication device 2 authenticates a print performer using an IC card. FIG. 6 is a hardware configuration diagram of the printing apparatus 3. In FIG. 6, the same components as those in FIG. 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.

  The printing apparatus 3 in FIG. 6 differs from that in FIG. 3 in that a card interface (I / F) 36 is connected to the PCI bus. The card I / F 36 is a contact type or non-contact type card reader, and reads a user name and authentication information from an IC card 54 possessed by the user. The read user name and authentication information are transmitted to the authentication apparatus 2, and the authentication apparatus 2 authenticates whether the user who has the IC card 54 has the authority to use the printing apparatus 2.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the configuration of the printing system 1 of this embodiment, and FIG. 8 shows an activity diagram from spooling to printing of a print job. In FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, the same step number is the same process, but the authentication apparatus 2 is omitted in the activity diagram of FIG.

  Further, although there may be a plurality of print performers, the processing procedure is the same regardless of the number of print performers. Also, a plurality of print jobs may be spooled, and in this case, identification information is given so that each print job can be distinguished from each other.

  In this embodiment, a user who spools a print job is “user A”, and a user who executes printing is “user B”. When the user A wants to print a document but cannot get the printed document to the printing apparatus 3 because there is no time or the like, the printing is executed according to the following procedure.

  First, when using the user terminal 4a, the user A inputs a user name and user A authentication information. The authentication information at this time may be any authentication information such as a password, a magnetic card, an IC card, or biometric authentication information (fingerprint, iris, voiceprint, vein, etc.).

  A user A who wants to print a document inputs a print job spool instruction from the input device 46 of the user terminal 4a. For example, the user A executes an application program such as word processing software on the user terminal 4a, and when the print job sender prints a desired document or the like, it becomes a print job spool instruction. When printing is executed, a document is sent to the printer driver, and the printer driver generates a predetermined print job.

  When the user executes printing, the authority table attachment unit 4a generates a user execution authority table for the print job of the document, and displays a GUI for selecting a user to whom authority is given on the display device 48.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a GUI displayed on the display device 48 by the authority table attachment unit 4a. In FIG. 9, “person only” or “designation of print execution user” can be selected as an object on which a print job can be printed. Check boxes for selecting each of them are arranged, and when a “print execution user designation” check box is selected, the pull-down menu 52 can be operated. When the pull-down menu 52 is operated, all user names that can execute printing from the printing apparatus 3 are displayed in a pull-down manner, and the user A can select a user who is given the authority to execute printing. . The selected users are sequentially displayed in the selection completion column 51 on the left side of the pull-down menu 52.

  In this embodiment, since user A requests user B to execute printing, user name “bbbbbb” of user B is selected. When the selection is completed and the user A operates the “OK” button 53, the authority table attachment unit 4 a displays the user execution authority table in which the user has the authority to execute printing in the selection completion column 51, the user name and authentication of the user A Attach information to a print job. Thereby, the print job is transmitted to the printing apparatus 3 (S1).

  Next, the printing apparatus 3 transmits the user name and authentication information of the user A to the authentication apparatus 2 in order to confirm whether the user A who is the sender of the print job is a valid user (S2).

  The authentication device 2 determines whether the user A is a valid user based on the consistency between the user name and the authentication information, and transmits the authentication result to the printing device 3 (S3).

  The print job storage unit 3a determines whether the authentication result is successful or unsuccessful. If the authentication fails, the print job is discarded and the process ends. If the authentication is successful, the print job storage unit 3a spools (stores) the print job in the HDD 28 (S4).

  Subsequently, user A requests user B to execute printing. When making a request, information (for example, a file name, etc.) specifying a print job to be printed is notified to the user B by e-mail or the like.

  User B logs in to the printing apparatus 3 to execute a print job (S5). In the present embodiment, the user B inputs the user name and authentication information to the printing apparatus 3 using the IC card 54. That is, the user B inserts or holds the IC card 54 possessed by the card I / F 36 and inputs the user name and authentication information to the printing apparatus 3.

  The printing apparatus 3 transmits the user name and authentication information of the user B to the authentication apparatus 2 in order to confirm whether or not the logged-in user B is a valid user (S6).

  The authentication device 2 determines whether or not the user B is a valid user based on the consistency between the user name and the authentication information, and transmits the authentication result to the printing device 3 (S7).

  When the user B is authenticated as a valid user, the print job search unit 3b searches the user execution authority table attached to the print job stored in the HDD 28 for a print job in which the user name of the user B is recorded. (S8). That is, the print job search unit 3b searches for a print job that can be executed by the user B. In this embodiment, at least a print job requested to be printed by the user A is searched.

  When the print job is searched, the display unit 3c displays the print job on the display unit 35 (S9). FIG. 10 shows a list of print jobs displayed on the display unit 35. In FIG. 10, the print job is specified and displayed by the creator and the document name. The print job displayed here is a print job for which user B is authorized to execute printing.

When the user B selects the print job requested by the user A and operates the “print” button (S10), the print job is printed. As described above, the user B can pass the printed document to the user A.
Note that the print job that has been printed may be deleted from the HDD 28 by the printing apparatus 3 or may be deleted from the HDD 28 by notifying the user A of the execution of printing. Regardless of whether or not there is a print execution notification, the print job may be spooled as it is and deleted at any timing of the user A. In FIG. 8, the spooled print job is deleted after a certain time has elapsed.

  According to the printing system 1 of the present embodiment, since the user is authenticated before printing, security can be ensured, and if the user is permitted to print according to the user execution authority table input by the print job sender. Since printing is possible, it is not necessary to receive a print job file or printed matter from the print job sender, and the convenience of the printing system 1 is improved.

  In the present embodiment, a printing system 1 in which a print performer executes printing from the user terminal 4b will be described.

  FIG. 11 is a hardware configuration diagram of the printing apparatus 3 according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 11, the same components as those in FIG. 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted. Further, the hardware configurations of the user terminal 4 and the authentication device 2 are the same as those in the first embodiment, and thus description thereof is omitted.

  The printing apparatus 3 of this embodiment is different from that shown in FIG. 3 in that it includes a print job identification information transmission unit 3d and a user address list 28a. The print job identification information transmission unit 3d transmits the identification information of the print job spooled in the HDD 28 to another user. The user of the transmission partner is a user who is given the authority to execute printing in the user execution authority table. That is, the print job identification information transmitting unit 3d extracts the mail address of the user who is authorized to execute printing from the HDD 28 in the user execution authority table attached to the print job, and the identification given to the spooled print job. Send information with email address as destination. As a result, a user who has the authority to execute printing can recognize that a print job that can be printed is spooled and execute printing at a desired timing.

  FIG. 12 shows a sequence diagram in the printing process of the printing system 1 of the present embodiment. In FIG. 12, the same steps as those in FIG. 4 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

  First, the print job sender operates the user terminal 4a to input a print job spool instruction (S1). For example, the print job sender executes an application program such as word processing software on the user terminal 4a, and when the print job sender prints a desired document or the like, it becomes a print job spool instruction. The print job sender has already entered the authentication information when logging in to the user terminal 4a.

  When the print job sender inputs a print job spool instruction, the user terminal 4a transmits the print job to the printing apparatus 3 (S2). When transmitting a print job to the printing apparatus 3, the authority table attachment unit 4a attaches the user name, authentication information, and user execution authority table of the print job sender to the print job. The method for inputting the user execution authority table is the same as in the second embodiment.

  When receiving the print job from the user terminal 4a, the printing apparatus 3 extracts the user name and authentication information from the print job, transmits the extracted user name and authentication information to the authentication apparatus 2, and requests user authentication of the print performer (S3).

  The authentication device 2 authenticates the print job sender based on the consistency between the user name and the authentication information, and transmits the authentication result to the printing device 3 (S4). If there is a consistency between the user name and the authentication information, the authentication unit 2 sends the print job sender a valid user and an authentication success result, and if there is no consistency, an authentication failure authentication result to the printing apparatus 3. Send.

  If the authentication is successful, the print job storage unit 3a gives the print job identification information and spools it to the HDD 28. If the authentication fails, the print job is discarded (S5). The print job identification information may be “serial number”, “user name + time”, or the like.

  Next, the print job identification information transmitting unit 3d refers to the user execution authority table attached to the print job and extracts the user name given the print authority. Then, the mail address of the user with the extracted user name is extracted from the HDD 28, and the print job identification information is transmitted to each user (hereinafter referred to as a print executor) (S101).

  In this way, the user terminal 4b receives the print job identification information. FIG. 13 shows an example of print job identification information displayed on the user terminal 4b. The print executor displays print job identification information as shown in FIG. 13 to recognize that a printable print job has been spooled. Then, when desired, for example, when there is time to go to the printing apparatus 3 to pick up the printed material, printing is executed (S102). For example, when the print executor clicks “0001” or “document name” in the identification information, a print execution instruction for the print job is input to the user terminal 4b.

  Next, the user terminal 4b requests the printing apparatus 3 to execute printing of the print job (S103). The user terminal 4 b transmits print job identification information, a user name, and authentication information to the printing apparatus 3 according to a print execution instruction from the print performer.

  The printing apparatus 3 requested to execute printing transmits the user name and authentication information of the print performer to the authentication apparatus 2 and requests user authentication (S7). The authentication device 2 authenticates the print executor based on the consistency between the user name and the authentication information, and transmits the authentication result to the printing device 3 (S8).

  If the authentication fails, the printing apparatus 3 does not permit use by the print performer. Therefore, the security of the spooled print job can be maintained.

  If the authentication is successful, the printing apparatus 3 extracts a print job based on the print job identification information (S104). That is, since a plurality of print jobs are spooled in the HDD 28, the print jobs are extracted based on the identification information. By referring to the user execution authority table of the extracted print job, it may be confirmed whether or not the user name of the print performer is recorded. Then, the printing apparatus 3 prints the extracted print job (S12).

  According to the present embodiment, the transmission of the print job identification information from the user terminal 4a becomes the print job spool notification as it is, and the print executor can print from the user terminal 4b. There is no need to go to the apparatus 3 to operate the printing apparatus 3, which improves convenience.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a printing system. It is a hardware block diagram of a user terminal. It is a hardware block diagram of a printing apparatus. It is a sequence diagram in the printing process of the printing system. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a print job data configuration and a user execution authority table. FIG. 6 is a hardware configuration diagram of a printing apparatus according to a second embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing system according to a second embodiment. FIG. 6 is an activity diagram from spooling to printing of a print job. It is a figure which shows an example of GUI which the authority table attachment means displayed on the display apparatus. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a list of print jobs displayed on a display unit. FIG. 10 is a hardware configuration diagram of a printing apparatus according to a third embodiment. FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram of a printing process performed by a printing system according to a third embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example of GUI containing the identification information displayed on the user terminal.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Printing system 2 Authentication apparatus 3 Printing apparatus 4, 4a, 4b User terminal 20, 40 Recording medium 21, 41 CPU
22a, 42 ROM
22b, 42 RAM
28 HDD
29 Operation section 34 NIC
35 Display 36 Card I / F
46 Input device 47 Storage device 48 Display device 49 Communication device 54 IC card

Claims (9)

In a printing system in which a printing apparatus prints a print job transmitted from a user terminal via a network in response to a user's print request,
The user terminal includes an authority table attachment means for attaching a user execution authority table in which user information of the user permitted to print the print job is recorded to the print job;
The printing apparatus includes a print job storage unit that stores the print job transmitted from the user terminal in a storage device;
Print job search means for searching for the print job that the user is allowed to print by referring to the user execution authority table attached to the print job based on the user information of the user;
Display means for displaying the print job searched by the print job search means on a display unit;
A printing system comprising: The authority table attachment means displays the user who can use the printing apparatus on the display unit of the user terminal in a selectable manner.
The printing system according to claim 1. An authentication device for authenticating the user is connected to the network;
The authentication device authenticates the user based on the user authentication information input from the printing device, and transmits an authentication result to the printing device.
The printing system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein In a printing apparatus that prints a print job transmitted from a user terminal via a network,
Receiving means for receiving the print job attached with a user execution authority table recording user information of a user permitted to print the print job;
Print job storage means for storing the print job received by the receiving means in a storage device;
When there is a print request from the user, a print job search is performed for referring to the user execution authority table attached to the print job based on the user information of the user and searching for the print job that the user is permitted to print. Means,
Display means for displaying the print job searched by the print job search means on a display unit;
A printing apparatus comprising: When a print job is generated by an application program or printer driver,
Authority table attachment means for displaying a user who is allowed to print the print job on a display unit so as to be selectable, and attaching a user execution authority table recording user information of the selected user to the print job;
Transmitting means for transmitting the print job with the user execution authority table attached thereto to a printing apparatus;
A user terminal characterized by comprising: A program executed by a computer of a printing apparatus that prints a print job transmitted from a user terminal via a network,
Receiving means for receiving the print job attached with a user execution authority table that records user information of a user permitted to print the print job;
Print job storage means for storing the print job received by the receiving means in a storage device;
When there is a print request from the user, a print job search is performed for referring to the user execution authority table attached to the print job based on the user information of the user and searching for the print job that the user is permitted to print. Means,
Display means for displaying the print job searched by the print job search means on a display unit;
A program characterized by causing a computer to realize. On the computer,
When a print job is generated by an application program or printer driver,
Authority table attachment means for displaying a user who is allowed to print the print job on a display unit so as to be selectable, and attaching a user execution authority table recording user information of the selected user to the print job;
Transmitting means for transmitting the print job with the user execution authority table attached thereto to a printing apparatus;
A program characterized by realizing.   A recording medium storing the program according to claim 6.   A recording medium storing the program according to claim 7.

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